Martino appointed new Barcelona coach

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Photos:New man at Camp Nou

New man at Camp Nou – Gerardo Martino has signed a two-year deal at Barcelona after agreeing to replace former coach Tito Vilanova.

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Photos:New man at Camp Nou

Messi's man – Barcelona's star player Lionel Messi is a huge admirer of fellow Argentine Martino. Both men hail from Rosario and Messi's father is a close friend of the new Barcelona manager.

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Photos:New man at Camp Nou

Vilanova fights on – Vilanova took over from Josep Guardiola as Barcelona coach in June 2012 but was forced to leave his post to continue his fight against throat cancer. Vilanova missed nearly three months of last season undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

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Photos:New man at Camp Nou

From Barca to Bayern – Guardiola won 14 trophies with Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 before taking a sabbatical. Now in charge of Champions League winner Bayern Munich, Guardiola will face his former side in a friendly game at the Allianz Arena.

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Photos:New man at Camp Nou

New man at Camp Nou – As well as Messi, Martino will be able to deploy the considerable talents of Brazilian star Neymar next season.

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Story highlights

Gerardo Martino appointed as new manager of Barcelona

Martino has signed a two-year deal at Camp Nou

Has previously managed Newell's Old Boys and Paraguay national team

Replaces Tito Vilanova who left his role to continue his fight against cancer

Gerardo "Tata" Martino's the name -- and putting Barcelona back at the top of Europe's elite is the game.

Martino, 50, signed a two-year deal with the Spanish champions Tuesday after agreeing a move to Camp Nou to replace the recently departed Tito Vilanova.

The Argentine, who hails from Rosario, the same city as Barca star Lionel Messi, led Newell's Old Boys to the Clausura last season as well as to the semifinal stage of the Copa Libertadores.

Messi has been outspoken in his praise of Martino in the past and is likely to welcome the arrival of his fellow countryman.

Speaking to Olé last year, Messi said: "I like Martino, he's an amazing coach and you could see in the Clausura what he did for the team, the manner in which he finished and how he achieved it.

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Martino has spent much of his career coaching in Paraguay where he won four domestic titles during his time with Libertda and Cerro Porteno.

He led the Paraguay national team to the quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where it was beaten by eventual champion Spain, while it also qualified for the final of the Copa America 12 months later.

Martino has won praise from fellow Argentine Messi in the past and is a disciple of former Atletico Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa.